Technical Report Natural Lighting
Natural lighting Most people prefer to be living and working in a daylit environment. The contact with changing natural light is physiologically, psychologically and architecturally important. The importance of the availability of natural light for children in schools is almost paramount. The stimulation natural light provides and the learning opportunities which can be gained from the changing environment are an essential aspect of education. However, too much, or if the sun is very bright, the provision of natural light can cause annoyance or discomfort. There are many different methods for bringing natural light in to buildings, some of which have already been discussed. ... Sunlight In parts of the world with predominantly dry, sunny weather much of the natural light in buildings is direct sunlight which has been reflected. In the UK, where sunshine is unreliable, the overcast sky is considered the main source of natural light. ... Sunlight and skylight are both important in room lighting, but they differ greatly in their qualities. ... Thus there are wide differences in natural light levels between areas near and far from a window. ... The table could imply that interiors with an average daylight factor of 5% or more are considered to be daylit rooms and will not normally require additional artificial lighting. ... Therefore, for particular tasks additional lighting maybe required. The minimum daylight factor indicated is very much the minimum and would almost certainly need additional artificial lighting. ... Disability and discomfort glare, as previously mentioned in this report, should be avoided as much as is possible when designing buildings and the interiors. ... This can be achieved by the use of splayed, light-coloured reveals or increasing the brightness of the window wall (by increasing its reflectance), or by lighting it from a window in an adjacent wall.